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Heritage on a plaque
• ISLINGTON Trades Union Council (Ituc) had a stall at Angel Canal Festival on Sunday. While there, I met Andy Gardener, who is now chairman of Islington Archaeological and History Society, who also had a festival stall. His predecessor and fellow local historian, Peter Powell, who sadly passed away earlier this year, had wanted Islington Council to start a plaque scheme to celebrate the borough’s unsung heritage.
I know that both before and after Peter’s death Councillor Ursula Woolley had discussed this with him and welcomed such a plaque scheme. Such a scheme would be a great way of honouring Peter’s memory and the rich historical heritage of the borough.
ITUC is working on a local history project covering the labour and trade union movement in Islington. Could I suggest the following would be worthy of commemorative plaques: the 18th century radical Tom Paine, who wrote the Rights of Man at the Angel Inn; the rally of 100,000 trade unionists in Copenhagen Fields in 1834 petitioning for the return to England of the six Tolpuddle Martyrs transported to Australia for forming an agricultural union; and the five trade unionists – including Vic Turner – who were jailed in Pentonville in 1972 for upholding union rights?
We want to see the council working together with other interested parties, like ITUC, to get a plaque scheme up and running.
GARY HEATHER
President, Islington Trades Union Council
Romilly Road, N7
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